Firing regulator for automatic firearms



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1925 Feb. 16, 1926. 1,573,655

C. SUTTER FIRING REGULATOR FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed Feb. 20, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1/14/1111.yalllllnvulfi Feb. 16 1926.

C. SUTTER FIRING REGULATOR FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed Feb. 20, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1: The regulating effect was Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNHE'E FEQ.

CHARLES SUTTER, OF SURESNES, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SOCIETE ANONYME DES ANCIENS ETABLISSEMENTS HOTCHKISS ET COMPAGNIE, OF ST. DENIS, SEINE,

FRANCE.

FIRING REGULATOR FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS.

Application filed February 20, 1925. Serial No. 10,641.

To all whom 2'2? may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Sorrnn, a citizen of the French Republic, and residing at 42 Rue Emile Zola, Suresnes, Seine,

5 France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Firing Regulators for Automatic Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a firing regulator for automatic firearms, that is to say, to a device which controls the movement in one direction of a member to which a reciprocating movement is imparted and which forms a part of the mechanism of the fire-arm, for the purpose of obtaining a predetermined rate of fire.

The regulating mechanism described be low is of the kind in which the reciprocating member, after having effected its rearward movement, is stopped by a mechanism, the duty of which is to defer the movement of the said member forwardly, that is to say, to retain it in its rearmost position during a predetermined time and then to release it so as to enable it to return to its foremost position. In fire regulating mechanisms of this kind which have already been constructed, the mechanism in question stores up energy when the reciprocating member finishes its stroke towards the rear, and utilizes this energy, while at the same time deferring the movement of the said member forwardly, after which this mechanism releases the part in question.

generally obtained by means of a device utilizing dashpots, antagonistic springs, inertia systems, anchor escapements or the like.

According to the present invention, the fire regulating mechanism comprises, as regulating means, a fiywheel which is rotated by the reciprocating member against the action of a spring which brings back the fly-wheel to its starting position.

The invention also comprises the following characteristics:

The reciprocating member, at the end of its rearward stroke, engages an intermediate sear, which is raised during the whole time that the fiy-wheel rotates, but is free to sink as soon as this tly-wheel returns to its original position.

The fly-wheel is actuated by a pivoted lever which is engaged by the reciprocating member when this latter moves backwards.

The pivoted lever is mounted upon a shaft, the position of which can be modified so as to vary the relative positions of the said lever and of the reciprocating member, for the purpose of varying the extent of the motion transmitted to the fiy-wheei and, ultimately, to render such motion nil, the inter-mediate positions of the lever corresponding to different rates of fire.

In order to permit of single shot fire, the ordinary sear carries a pivoted catch which, when the trigger is drawn rearwardly, can engage in a notch of the fiy-wheel and can retain this latter in a position in which, after having been actuated by the reciprocating member, it maintains the intermediate sear in a raised position and in engagement with the said member, the catch being then disengaged from the fly-wheel when the trigger is released, the effect of which is to release the fly-wheel, which then enables the intermediary sear to sink and to disengage itself from the reciprocating member, while this latter hooks on to the ordinary sear which rose when the gunner released the trigger, the next shot being fired. by again pulling the The locking shaft can occupy a position in wnich it prevents the catch from engaging the notch in the fiy-whcel. In another position it prevents any movement of the trigger and thereby gives the safety position. In a third posit-ion it no longer exerts any action upon the catch nor upon the trigger, and enables single shot fire to be effected.

The invention is shown diagrammaticaily and by way of example in the accompanying drmvings, in which the invention has been assumed to be applied to an antonmtio gas-operated gun, in which the reciprocating member, the rate of movement of which is to be regulated, is a piston actuated by the expansive force of the powder gases in one direction (towards the rear) and by a spring which stores up energy, in the other direction (forwardly).

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the fire-regulating mechanism, the parts of which are shown in the position which they occupy for retarded automatic fire;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view;

Fig. 3 is an elevation in which the right= hand wall of the casing has been removed and the intermediate sear is lowered;

fFig." 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 in which the intermediate sear is raised so as to engage the piston;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section along V-V of Fig.1;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 3 in which the parts occupy a position corresponding to single shot firing;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of'the lire-regulating mechanism showing the parts in the position which they occupy for rapid fire, that is to say, when the regulating mechanism is not utilized;

Fig. 8 is. a re-production of the former figure in which the right-handwall of the casing is removed;

Fig. 9 is a detail showing the action of the locking shaft upon the trigger when the two parts are in the safety position.

The presentdevice comprises essentially a cylindrical memberl having a circular groove 2; a recess 3 of a definite profile is formed across this groove and in a direction parallel tothat of the generatrices. This member 1, which is ofsuflicient mass to form a fly-wheel, has a circular recess 4, Fig. 5, which receives a spiral spring 5, one end of which, 6, is fixed in a hole 7 formedat the base of "said recess, the other extremity of which, 8, which is heldby an abutment 9 carried by the corresponding faces of the member 1, abuts at 9" against a projection carried by the casing. Upon the opposite face of the fly-wheel 1 there is formed a tenon lO'which carries the fly-wheel with it in its rotary movement about a shaft. 11 upon which there is also mounted a bearing 12, the hub 13 of which carries an eccentric lug 14 upon which is freely mounted a lever 15 having a projection 16, to which the piston P communicates a rearward movement when it moves backwards.

The position of this lever 15 depends, owing to the eccentricity of the lug 14, upon the position in which spring-pin 17 holds the bearing 12. In order to hold this bearing 12 laterally two tongues 18 are formed on the hub 13 which tongues, once in place, hold between them and the disc 19 of the bearing the corresponding wall of the easing 20, thus renuering any lateral displacement impossible.

' For the purpose of assembling, there have been provided upon the casing, besides the circular recess 21 for the passage of the hub, two notches 22, Fig. 7, corresponding to the tongues 18. The movement of the lever 15 forwardly is limited by an abutment 23 fixed upon the casing in which latter two holes L. B. have been formed and in which the extremity of the pin 17 seats when the bearing 12 occupies either its extreme forward position or its extreme rear position; these positions cannot be passed for the reason that one of the extremities 27-28 of a segment 29 provided upon the outer periph cry of the disc 19 abuts in each of't-hese positions' against the locking shaft.

The trigger 30, of any usual form, has a low shaft 32, upon which is pivoted the sear 33 which, besides its nose 34, has a notch-35 to the base of which is attached the extremity 36 of a spring 37 which forces forwardly the nose 38 of a catch 89, the cap 40 of which Fig. 2, carries a shaft 41 which passes through the scar 33 upon'which the catch thus pivoted. This latter also has a tail piece 25 of suitable shape. 1 spring 42, one of the extremities of which is attached to the sear 33 by the intermediary of a. recess 43, while'its other extremity is lodged in a recess formed in the rear portion of the casing 20, tends to hold the nose 34 constantly in its raised position.

The trigger 30 and the sear 33 can-rotate as a whole about a shaft 45 fixed uponthe casing and passing through the hollow shaft 32, the extremities of which project slightly through the cap 31.0n each side and can fit into slides 46 (Figsrl and 2) formed upon each of the inner faces of the casing, this arrangement enabling assembling to be efiected' before the shaft 45 is'put in place.

The rotation of the trigger can only take place when one of the two flats 47, Fig. 9, formed upon the locking-shaft 48 comes into position opposite the nose 24 of the trigger 3O andallows it to pass; in the other positions of the shaft 48 the nose 24 abuts against it, and the trigger 30 and consequently the sear 33 are locked in their raised position.

The locking-shaft 48 carries furthermore, a lug 49 forming a cam and acting upon the tail-piece .25 of the catch 39 and is held laterally by an assemblinglug 50, Fig. 7, a notch 51 having been provided in the casing for the passage of'the two lugs 49 and when assembling.

1 Hose 24, Fig. 9, and amp 31 carrying a 1101- A lever 52 having a stud 53 is fixed to the,

extremity of the shaft 48 and renders it possible to lock this latter in any one of the three positions which it can occupy. With this end in View the extremity 54 of the stud 53 can be lodged in one of the three recesses C, A, S formed on the outer face of the casing Near thefront of the device, an intermediate sear 54, which can oscillate about a shaft 55 fixed upon the casing, carries at one of its extremities 56, apart from its nose 57, a roller 58 which is held constantly upon the outer periphery of the fly-wheel 1 by the action of a coil-spring 60 on its tail portion 59; the lower portion of this spring is lodged in a recess 61 of the casing while the upper portion is received in a recess 62 of the tail portion 59.

The nose will be in its engaging position when the roller 58 bears upon the circular periphery of the member 1; it will be withdrawn when this same roller is opposite the recess 3, the profile of which has been designed in such a manner that it causes a positive raising of the roller.

The profile of the nose 5'? of the intermediate scar 51 and tile prol'ile of the corresponding notch in the piston P are formed in such a manner that the nose 5? is always driven downwards by the piston during the forward movement of this latter.

The retarding mechanism as described apart from its safety device, enables fire to' be effected either as single shot fire, firing at a retarded rate and finally, firing at the maximum rate.

In order to understand the action of the device, it will be preferable to examine each of these different functions of the lire-regulating mechanism in succession:

(1) Retarding rate of fire.The pin 17 of the bearing 12 is placed at L and the stud of the lever at A in such a manner that the locking shaft elS allows the nose 2% of the trigger to pass, without however, allowing the nose 38 of the catch 39 to engage the fly-wheel 1. The trigger 30 is held in the firing position, thus preventing the nose 84 of the sear 33 from intervening in the method of operation of the weapon. In its rearward stroke which follows firing of the shot, the piston P strikes, by means of a shoulder 3-2, against the nose 16 of the lever 15 which it takes with it to the end of its stroke. By the intermediary of the tenon 10, this lever communicates rotary movement to the flywheel, which continues after the stop age of the piston (hiring a period of time which varies according to the impulse which causen it. When it ceases, a reverse movement takes place which brings back the flywheel 1 and the lever 15 to their original position under the action of the spring 5 which had been tensioned during the first movement.

Atthe beginning of the movement of the fly-wheel. the roller 53 which was at the bottom of the recess 3 has risen and the nose 5'? on the intermediate sear 54: has come into position and has locked the piston at the beginning of its forward stroke. Only when the fly-wheel 1 returns to its original position, does the recess 3 again come opposite the roller 58, enabling this latter to move down under the action of the spring and under the combined action of the profiles of the nose 5. and the corresponding notch of the piston; the nose 5T 1OVS down and the piston can again make a forward stloke under the action of the recuperating spring.

It will be easily seen that the retardation in firing corresponds to the duration of movement of the fly-wheel. It is therefore sutlicient to impart to this latter an impulse more or less great in order to obtain a more or less rapid rate of lire. The bearing 12 is provided for this purpose and its position determines that of the lever 15. The npulse which this latter receives and which it therefore will transmit to the fly-wheel will be the greater, the sooner it is act ed upon by the piston. The slowest rate of tire is obtained when the spring-pin 1T which ii xcs llil the bearin 12 is at L. As this iin is mo l 7 from T4 towards R a more and more ra-ml 1 rate of fire is obtained, for the corresponding position of the lever subjects this latter as to the action of the piston through a "path which becomes shorter and shorter.

Maximum rate of fire-If the springpin 17 is moved to E (Fig. 8) the lever 15 is moved back so that the piston P cannot reach it at the end of its stroke; the regulah ing mechanism therefore does not intervene any more in the functioning of the which fires at its maximlnn rate.

Single-shot 7z-ring.lf the lever 52 is brought to C (position shown in Fig. 6') the lug 49 of the locking shaft 4-8, the flats l? of which still allow the nose 24s of the trigger to pass, has moved away con'ipletely and no longer acts upon the tail-piece of the catch 39. This latter is pushed for ward by the spring and its nose at bears upon the outer periphery of the wheel 1. The profile and position of tin nose 38 are such that it moves a my to al low the passage of the recess 3 during he forward movement of the fly-wheel, but on the contrary, during the return movement it strikes the edge of this recess and imm bilizes the fly-wheel 1. In order to free this latter the trigger 3 must be released and on resuming its position of rest it disen the catch 39 from the recess 3,

of the catch moving away from the periphery of the fly wheel 1 describing an arc of a circle about the axis The method of operation is therefore ihe following hen the trigger 30 is pulled, the 1M of the sear 33 moves away, as has been above, and the shot fired. As before. in its stroke towards the rear, the pist engages the lever 15 which imparts a rotary motion to the fly-wheel 1. "his latter will be immobilized by the action of the nose 38 of the catch 39 upon the edge of the recess 3, when it was about to return to its original position under the action of the spiral spring The piston is then engaged by the In c 5? of the intermediate sear If the trigger 30 is then released the fly-Wheel 1 is lib erated, the intermediate sear 54. sinks and disengages itself from the piston ,P but at this time the nose 3-1 of the sear ongages in a corresponding notch in the piston. No further shot can be tired except by pulling the trigger 30, which disengages the nose 3% of the sear "from the notch in the piston. It tollo that only one shot can be tired for each action upon the tri rgcr.

ifi'afety (ZWJE'CC.ID order to prevent any functioning of the gun and consequently the firing of any shot, it is sufiicient to bring the lever into the position S, the result of which is to place the locking shaft 418 in such a position that, by .ineans of the nose Q-l: of the trig r 30 it immobilizes the trigger and soar in their raised position, the nose 3% of the sear 33 beingthus held in its engaging position.

it vill be easily understood that each of the devices enabling these methods of liring to be obtained could be constructed separately.

The present invention therefore comprises three dill'ercnt apparatus:

'l. irpparati'is enablinga retarded rate of automatic fire to be obtaine il as well the safety position.

2. A )paratus enabling a retarded rate of automatic fire to be obtained, single-shot tire and safety position,

3. Apparatus of the class describec which renders it possible to obtain a retarded ra e of automatic fire, single-shot tire, rapid lire and the safety position.

The form of each of these members and their arrangement relative to each other enables them to be quickly assembled and disassembled Without having to employ any tools. ll hen disassembling it is sutlicient to proceed as follows:

1. Move the lever 52 beyond its extreme position 5 so that the tenon 50 comes opposite the notch 51 and disengage the locking shaft 2. Exert sul'iicient pressure-upon the sear 33 in a direction substantially parallel to that of the slides 416 to release the trigger and sear as a Whole, which can be WithdraWn at the top.

3. iVithdraiv the shaft which enables the intermediate sear 5 to be removed.

at. ll ithdraw the shaft 11 and remove the fly-wheel l and the lever 15.

Remove the bearing 12 after having brought the tongues 18 into position opposite the notches 22.

In order to assemblethe parts, each o these operations should be etlected in the reverse o'der, before placing the ily-wheel 1 in position it is necessary to compress the spring 5 to the extent of about one revolution and to engage it against the abutment 9.

I claim: Y

1. A tiring regulator tor automatic :filC- arms, comprising in combination a casing, a fly-Wheel mounted in said casing, a reciprocating member forming a part of the breech closing mechanism of the fire-arm and adapted to rotate said fly-Wheel, a spring for returning said fly-Wheel to its original position, and a lever movable independently of, but controlled by said flywheel and adapted to lock said reciprocating member.

n. tiring regulator for automatic firearms comprising in combination a casing, a fly-Wheel mounted in said casing, lever mounted adjacent said fly-wheel, a reciprocating member forming a part of the breech closing mechanism of the fire-arm and adapted to strike said lever to rotate said fly-Wheel and a spring for-returning saidfiy-\vheel to its original position, and alerer movable independently of, but controlled by said fly-Wheel and adapted to loclr said reciprocating member.

A tiring re lator for automatic tirearms, comprising in combination a casing, a l ly-Wheel mounted in said casing, a lever adjustably mounted adjacent said fly-wheel, a reciprocating nember forming-a part oi the mechanism of the firearms and adapted to strike said lever sooner or later, according to the angular position of this latter, to rotate said i'ly-Wheel and a spring for rcturning sa d fly-Wheel to its original position.

l. A tiring regulator for automatic firearms, comprising in combination a casing, a. fly-Wheel mounted in said casing, a lever adjustably mounted adjacent said fly-Wheel, a reciprocating member forming a part of the mechanism of the tire arm and adapted to strike said lover, a. tenon on said 1"l fwheel adapted to be en; to rotate said f y-wheel tiiirning said ti Wheel tion.

ged said lever and spring tor re to its original posi- 5. A firing regulator for automatic lire-.

arms, comprising in combination a casing, a fly-Wheel mounted insaid casing, said -fly-Wheel having a recess, a reciprocating memaer adapted to rotate said fly-Wheel, a pivoted lover, a roller on said lever engaging said recess, said lever having a nose adapted to lock said reciprocating member as long as said roller is moved out of said recess a trigger in said casing, a fiy-wliee mounted in said casing, a lever connected to said fly-Wheel, a reciprocating member normally adapted to engage said lever to rotate said fly-Wheel and means for moving said lever to a position Where it does not cont-act with said reciprocating member.

8. A firing regulator for automatic firearms, comprising in combination a casing, a fiy-Wheel mounted in said casing, a bear ing for said flywheel, said bearing having an eccentric hub, a lever mounted upon said hub, a reciprocating member adapted to engage said lever and means for adjusting the position of said lever relative to the reciprocating member by means of said hub.

9. A firing regulator for automatic firearms, comprising in combination a casing, a fly-Wheel mounted in sa'd casing, a bearing for said fly-Wheel, said bearing having an eccentric hub, a lever mounted upon said hub, a reciprocating member adapted to engage said lever, means for rotating said hub to adjust said lever and means for locking said hub in different positions.

10. A firing regulator for automatic firearms comprising a casing, a trigger mounted in said casing, a sear actuated by said trig ger, a fly-wheel adapted to be rotated by a reciprocating part of the mechanism of the firearm, a locking shaft in said casing, a recess in said fly-Wheel adapted to be engaged by said sear, a lug on said locking shaft adapted to prevent said sear from engaging said recess and means for rotating said locking shaft.

11. A firing regulator for automatic firearms comprising a casing, a trigger mounted in said casing, a scar actuated by said trigger, a catch on said sear, a fly-Wheel adapted to be rotated by a reciprocating part of the mechanism of the fire-arms, a locking shaft in said casing, a recess in said fly-Wheel adapted to be engaged by said catch, a lug on said locking shaft adapted to prevent said catch from engaging said recess and means for rotating said locking shaft.

12. A firing regulator for automatic firearms comprising in combination a casing, a trigger mounted in said casing, a scar actuated by said trigger, a catch on said sear, a fly-Wheel adapted to be rotated by a reciprocating part of the mechanism of the fire-arm, a recess in said fly-Wheel adapted to be engaged by said catch, a locking shaft in said casing, a projecting part and a lug on said shaft, means for rotating said locking shaft into three positions, whereby in one position, to cause said projecting part to prevent any movement of the trigger, in another position to cause said lug to prevent said catch from engaging said recess, and in a third position to clear said projecting part and said lug.

13. A firing regulator for automatic the arms comprising in combination a casing, a trigger mounted in said casing, a scar actuated by said trigger, a flywheel mounted in said casing and adapted to be rotated by a reciprocating part of the mechanism of the gun, said fly-Wheel having a recess, an intermediate sear,'a roller on said intermediate sear adapted to engage said recess, said intermediate sear having a nose adapted to engage the reciprocating part of the mechanism of the firearm when forced out of the recess by the rotation of the fly-Wheel, a catch on said trigger actuated sear adapted to engage said recess and a shaft Which is rotatable to cause said catch to engage or not in said recess.

let. A firing regulator for automatic the arms comprising in combination a casing a fly-Wheel mounted in said casing, said fly-Wheel being mounted in a bearing having an eccentric hub, a lever mounted upon said hub and adapted to be actuated by a reciprocating portion of the mechanism of the gun, a tenon on said fly-wheel adapted to be engaged by said lever, means for rotating said hub to adjust the position of said lever, a trigger mounted in said casing, a sear actuated by said trigger, said sear having a catch adapted to engage a recess in said fly-Wheel, an intermediate sear, a roller carried by said sear and resiliently pressed into said recess, a nose on said sear adapted to engage the reciprocating portion of the gun when the roller is forced out of the recess, and a shaft having a lug adapted to move the catch of the trigger actuated scar out of engaging position with said recess.

(ll-l ARLES SU TTER. 

